An example of confer is for a company committee to have a discussion before deciding on a new employee.
- to give, grant, or bestow
- Obs. to compare
Origin of conferClassical Latin conferre, to bring together, compare, confer ; from com-, together + ferre, to bear
verbcon·ferred, con·fer·ring, con·fers
- To bestow (an honor, for example): conferred a medal on the hero.
- To invest with (a characteristic, for example): a carefully worded statement that conferred an aura of credibility.
Origin of conferLatin c&omacron;nferre : com-, com- + ferre, to bring; see bher-1 in Indo-European roots.
- con·fer′ment, con·fer′ral
(third-person singular simple present confers, present participle conferring, simple past and past participle conferred)
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.3.1.i:
- Confer thine estate with others [...]. Be content and rest satisfied, for thou art well in respect to others [...].
- If we confer these observations with others of the like nature, we may find cause to rectify the general opinion.
- (intransitive) To talk together, to consult, discuss; to deliberate. [from 16th c.]
- To grant as a possession; to bestow. [from 16th c.]
From Middle French conférer, from Latin conferō.